


The Rules

by be_themoon



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Pre-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-03-11
Updated: 2010-03-11
Packaged: 2017-10-07 21:50:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/69600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/be_themoon/pseuds/be_themoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some rules never really change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Rules

These are the rules.

Keep Sammy safe. Don't open the door. Don't trash the hotel room again. Keep the curtains closed. Don't make too much noise. Don't burn the Spaghetti-O's again. (He doesn't, but the frozen peas don't get off so easy.) Make sure the gun's always loaded, but Sammy can't reach it. Keep Sammy safe.

Oh, and check the discard date on the milk this time, throwing up for a day because of spoiled milk sucks.

He gets older. The rules change some.

Just let Sammy do the cooking, okay? Don't ditch school. Try not to fight with Sam, it makes too much noise, worries the neighbors. Don't sass your teachers. Don't sass me. Make sure Sammy's permission slips get signed. Don't overcharge on the credit card, this one's almost out. Don't go to any parties. Don't leave Sam alone.

He doesn't say the most important rule anymore, because he doesn't have to. It hums beneath every instruction he gives, electric and sharp.

_Keep Sammy safe._

Some rules aren't forever. He gets older. His dad takes him to the bar once in a while. He doesn't go to school anymore. Sam's still the better cook, but he can fend for himself in a kitchen now. Besides, he has his own credit card now, he can drop by and get fast food if he wants. Sam can forge his own notes from dad and permission slips - he's quite the master at it now, actually. He goes home with girls sometimes, because Sam insists he can take care of himself, he's almost 18, jerk. (Bitch.) He has his own car, a whole new set of rules.

But even when Sam's gone, not calling, last words angry and bitter, he can't stop looking after him. When you abide by the same rule for 18 years, it's not an easy habit to break.

So he drops by Stanford sometimes after a solo hunt, or while his dad's gone. He scans for EMF, stays away from Sam, and carves protection symbols in the walls behind posters and cork boards and desks and even under the bed. He leaves conch shells hanging in obscure places that Sammy hopefully won't notice.

He never tells his dad - there isn't a need to. He's not the only one who comes back late from a hunt when they're near Stanford, or spends a couple hours out supposedly just getting the food.

Because after all, some rules are forever.

Or maybe you just hope they will be.


End file.
